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4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. H. PICKERING. COTTON HARVESTER.

No. 555,118. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

r G. H. PIGKERING.

COTTON HARVBSTER.

Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shee 4.

. O. H. PIOKERING.

COTTON HARVBSTER.

N5. 555,118. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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(IIARIES ll. PICKERING, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOIIXA. STEIVART, OF SAME PLACE.

COTTON-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,118, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed December 26, 1893. Serial No. 494,711. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. PICKERING, a citizen of the I'nitedStates, residing at liouston, in the county of Harris and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCotton-Ilarvesters, of which the following is a specification, referencebe ing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view. Fig. is a rear view, onehalf ofthe machine being in section. Fig. 1 is a section on line i 1 of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is an under side view of the lower ring. Fig. 6 is a plan view ofone of the interior castings of the cylinders. Fig. 7 is an enlargeddetail, being a partial view of one of the drivingwheels, showing thepawl and ratchet; and Fig. 8 is a view of one of the pickers.

My invention relates to machines for harvesting cotton, and has for itsobjects to pro vide a machine which will effectually pick all the ripecotton without injury to the plants or to the unopened bolls; also toimprove the construction of cotton-harvesters in general. I accomplishthese objects as hereinafter specified and as illustrated in thedrawings. That which I regard new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, 9 indicates the frame of the machine, which consists oftwo platforms 10 11 arranged at opposite sides of the ma chine, whichplatforms are connected by strong upright beams 12 and cross-beams 13 atthe top of the beams 12, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The frame ofthe machine is supported by drive-wheels 1% 15, two of which arearranged at each side of the machine and are journaled upon axles 1Grigidly secured to said frame. The spindles of the axles 16 are at sucha height that the platforms 1O 11 will be held a short distance abovethe ground, as shown in Fig. 3. I prefer to secure the axles 1 3 to theframe by bending them, so that they will pass under the platforms 1O 11,as shown in Fig. by which construction the machine is made stronger. Theplatforms 1O 11 are spaced a sufficient distance apart to adapt themachine to straddle a row of cottonplants.

17 indicates sprocket-wheels, one of which is mounted upon each spindle,preferably be tween the drive-wheels 1st 15, as best shown in 1 and 2,the sprocket-wheels being connected to the drive-wheels by a pawl '79and ratchet-wheel 80 so arranged that the sprocket-wheels 17 will beoperated only by the forward motion of the machine.

The forward ends of the platforms 1O 11 are made flaring, as shown inFig. 2, the better to guide the cot-tonplants between the two platforms.

18 19 indicate guards, preferably of sheet metal, which guards arearranged at the front ends of the platforms 1O 11 and extend around theouter front edges of said platforms, as shown in Fig. 2, serving also asguides for the plants. The rear ends of the guards 18 19 extend backwardto and on the outside of the drive-wheels 11, as shown in Fig. 2.

20 indicates guardplates arranged at the inclined portions of theplatforms 10 11.

21 indicates an upper inclined guard-plate, which extends across betweenand connects the upper ends of the plates 20. The lower end of theguard-plate 21 is about upon alevel with the uppermost picking devices,its forward end being somewhat higher, by which construction it servesto direct the upper parts of the cotton-plants to the pickers.

22 indicates a drivers seat secured upon the forward portion of theframe 9.

21 indicate tongues, one of which is arranged ateach side of themachine, as shown in Fig. 2.

25 26 indicate cylinders, one of which is mounted upon each platform 1011. As the cylinders 25 so and the parts contained in them areidentical, it will be necessary to describe the construction of one ofsuch cylinders only, and the corresponding parts in both cylinders willbe indicated by similar referonce-numerals.

The cylinder 25 is mounted between an upper plate, 27, and a lowerplate, 28, the upper plate, 27, being rigidly secured to bars 29 securedat the upper portion of the frame of the machine. The cylinder 25consists of a sheetmetal covering 81, which is secured upon a series ofVertical bars 58 arranged at suitable distances apart and connected attheir lower ends by a ring 30 and at their upper ends by a cogged ringThe bars 58 are further braced by circular plates 56 57 connected to thedifferent bars near their ends, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower plate, 28,is secured to the lower ends of the bars 58. The ring is provided on itslower surface with rollers 31, and is adapted to fit in a suitablechannel formed in the upper side of the lower plate, 28, in whichchannel said ring 30 is adapted to rotate, carrying the cylinder 25 withit.

indicates a bevel-gear which meshes with the ring 32, as shown in Figs.2 and 3, and is mounted upon a shaft 3i journaled upon the upper part ofthe frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, and extending transverselyof said frame.

indicates a friction-clutch section, which is mounted upon a feather onthe shaft 34 and is adapt-ed to engage the other section of a clutchwhich is loosely mounted upon said shaft.

36 indicates a sprocket wheel which is loosely mounted upon the shaft34: and is rigidly secured to the loosely-mounted clutchsection.

37- indicates a link-belt which connects the sprocket-wheel 36 to thesprocket-wheel 17, by which construction the shaft 3i may be rotatedfrom the sprocketwvheel 17 when the clutchsections are in frictionalcontact with each other.

The clutch-section 35 is operated by means of a hand-lever 33, to whichit is connected by connecting-rods 39 40, as best shown in Fig. 2. Asabove stated, similar apparatus is provided on the opposite side of themachine for driving the cylinder 26, and the clutchsection 35 on theother side of the machine is operated by means of a lever 38 byconnecting-rods .41 i2, as shown in Fig. 2, by which construction thetwo clutch-sections may be operated simultaneously.

The plate 81 is perforated, the perforations being preferably arrangedin vertical and horizontal rows, as shown in Fig. 3.

43 indicates buttons, one of which is placed around each perforation inthe plate 81. The object of such perforations will be more fullyhereinafter set forth.

4i l5 indicate flanges formed on the under face of the top plate, 27,forming a cam groove or guide 46, as shown in Fig. 3.

i7 -18 indicate corresponding flanges formed on the upper face of thebottom plate, 28, which flanges form a cam-groove l9 similar to thecam-groove 46, and located immediately under it. The shape of the groove49 formed by the flanges i7 48 is best shown in Fig. 4.

50 indicates a number of bars arranged vertically in the cylinder 25.The ends of said bars project into the guides l6 and i9, as best shownin Fig. 3, and they are provided with cup-shaped recesses in their lowerends in which are held steel balls 51, which run in the lower guides,46. A bar 50 is provided for each vertical row of perforations in thecylinder, as shown in Fig. 4;. Each bar 50 is provided with a series ofperforations, one being placed opposite each perforation in thecylinder.

53 indicates upright bars, one of which is secured to the plates 56 57opposite each bar 50, as best shown in Figs. 3 and a. lVhen the bars 50are revolved around the interior of the cylinder, as will be hereinafterdescribed, they will move toward and from the center of the cylinder,owing to the peculiar shape of the cam-guides a6. To permit of suchmovement of the bars 50, the plates 56 57 are provided with a number ofslots 59, through which the bars 50 pass, such slots being of sufficientlength to permit the necessary radial motion of the bars 50. In order toprevent said bars from rotating they are fiattened where they passthrough the slots 59, and said slots are made sufficiently narrow toprevent the rotation of said bars.

60 indicates pickers, a number of which are mounted in the cylinder 25,one being provided for each perforation in said plate 81 when the wholenumber of pickers are used. The pickers 60 are journaled in theperforations in the bars 50 in such manner that they cannot movelongitudinally, which result I secure preferably by providing eachpicker with collars 52 placed at opposite sides of the bar 50, as bestshown in Figs. 3 and 'L. The outer ends of the pickers are fluted, orpro vided with a number of grooves tapering toward the outer ends of thepickers. The inner ends of the pickers pass through bearings formed inthe upright bars 53, and are provided with beveled gears 7 S, which arefixedly secured in position near the inner ends of the pickers, as bestshown in Fig.

lVhen the cylinder 25 is rotated the bars 50 will be moved radially inthe guides l6 and if), as above described, thereby retracting orprojecting the pickers. The shape of the cam-guides is such that thepickers will be caused to project from the cylinder for about one-fourthof a revolution, being drawn back into the cylinder during the remainderof the revolution; and, as shown in the drawings, the pickers areprojected from the cylinder when they are turned toward the row ofplants between the two platforms, the pickers upon the opposite platformprojecting at the same time, whereby they co-operate to strip the cottonfrom the plants as the machine progresses.

In addition to their radial movement, the pickers 60 are given a rotarymotion by means of the gears 78, which mesh with the teeth of circularracks 62, which are formed upon plates 63 supported by a vertical shaft6%, which is placed centrally of the cylinder 25 and supported betweenthe upper and lower plates 27 28, as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft GT isprovided at its upper end with a beveled pinion 65, which meshes with abeveled gear 66 mounted upon the shaft 34:, to which it is keyed. Bythis construction the forward motion of the machine will cause the shaft64c to rotate, also rotating the plate 63, and conse- IIO quentlyrotating the pickers 60 when the gears 78 carried by them are in meshwith the racks 62. hen the pickers are retracted the gears 7 S will moveback out of mesh with the racks 62. The rotation of the pickerstherefore ceases, facilitating the operation of stripping the cottonfrom them.

In practice the racks 62 and beveled pinions T8 are made comparativelynarrow and the end teeth are made to gear somewhat loosely, so that inoperation the differences in the speed of travel between the small andlarge portions of the pinion will be compensated for and the gearingrendered effective.

Owing to the fact that the cotton upon the lower part of the plants isthe first to mature, it is desirable that means should be provided forthrowing the pickers at the upper part of the machine out of operationwhen operating in the early part of the season, so that the unopenedbolls should not be injured by harvesting the mature cotton. Toaccomplish this object I mount the plates 63 upon a number of sleeves 6768 6.), which are mounted upon the shaft 64: one above the other, asshown in Fig. 3. The different sleeves 67 68 G9 are secured to the shaft61L by set-screws or other suitable devices, so that any one of them maybe thrown out of operation by loosening its set-screws, by whichconstruction all the pickers operated by the sleeves so loosened may bethrown out of operation.

Inasmuch as the pickers will not pick the cotton unless they rotate, theyoung cotton and the unopened bolls will not be injured by those pickerswhich are thrown out of operation, as above stated.

I do not wish to limit myself to the use of any particular number ofsleeves, as it is obvious that any desired number may be provided.

To secure a yielding engagement between the gears 78 and the racks 62, Iprovide each picker with a pin or plate 70, which is secured upon itsinner end, between which plate and the adjacent gear is placed a spring54, as shown in Fig. The springs 51 serve to prevent injury to the teethof the racks and gears when the pickers are moved outward, but theirtension is sufficient to hold the gears in operative engagement with thecorresponding racks when the pickers are in their projected position.

The cylinders 25 26 rotate in opposite directions, the direction ofrotation being indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, and the pickers arealso rotated in opposite directions, which method of operation securesthe best results, as the pickers carried by the two cylinders operatetogether to thoroughly strip the cotton from the plants.

Back of each of the cylinders 25 26 is provided a brush 71, arrangedwith its axis in a vertical position supported between the base of themachine and the cross-bar 13, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thebrushes 71 are adapted to rotate upon their axes, such rotation beingimparted to them bybelts 7 2,which pass around the upper ends of thecylinders 25 26 and the upper ends of the brush-hubs 73, as shown inFig. 3. The belts 7 2 are crossed, so that the brushes are caused torotate in a direction opposite to that in which the cylinders rotate. Asshown in Fig. 2, the brushes are located in proximity to the rearportions of the cylinders, the arrangement being such that they will aidin stripping the cotton from the pickers and carrying it back into boxes7 at arranged back of the brushes, as shown in Fig. 2. 7 5 7 6 indicatethe sides of the boxes. Each box 74 is provided at the rear with a door77 for the removal of the cotton. As best shown in Fig. 3, the boxes '74are open at the top and are extended to the back of the frame of themachine, so as to provide a large receptacle for the gathered cotton.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: As the machine movesforward, straddling a row of cotton-plants, the cylinders 25 26 will berotated in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The arrangement of the gears is such as to make the speed of rotation of saidcylinders somewhat slower than that of the machine, which arrangementpermits the pickers to drag slightly against the cotton-plants, and, toa certain extent, assist in propelling the machine. It also serves tomake the pickers more efficient in stripping the cotton from the plantsand permits them to slip off of the limbs. The opposite pickers of eachcylinder will project from the cylinder in the position shown in Fig. 3,and by the forward motion of the machine they will be caused to rotate,such rotary motion being suificiently rapid to wind up upon them andhold any opened cotton that they may touch, but they will not take upleaves or twigs or injure the unopened bolls. As the cylinders rotate,the pickers bearing the cotton will pass to the rear of the cylinders,where they will be retracted, causing the cotton to be stripped fromthem and to drop into the forward ends of the boxes '74. The brushes 71will aid in removing the cotton from the pickers, and when so removedwill carry it back into their respective boxes. The pickers after beingwithdrawn will pass around to the front of the cylinders, where theywill be again projected as before.

I prefer to make the pickers of steel well tempered, and of such size asto be both strong and flexible and not liable to break. By operating thepickers as above described, their action upon the cotton-plants will begentle and easy, and there will be no thrashing against the limbs orinjury to the unopened bolls or the cotton. This construction alsoprevents the pickers from gathering anything but clean cotton.

In the drawings I have shown the pickers as provided with beveled gearswhich mesh with circular racks for rotating the pickers upon their axes,and this construction is the one which I prefer to use, but I have foundthat very good results can be obtained by using friction-plates whichengage frictionwheels carried by the pickers.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder mounted thereupon, rotary pickers carried by saidcylinder, means for rotating said pickers, means for projecting saidpickers through the wall of said cylinder to cause them to engage theplants, and means for retracting said pickers through the said wall forthe removal of the picked cotton from them, substantially as described.

2. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame,rotary picker-supporting devices carried thereby, and axiallyrotatableand lengthwise-movable pickers carried by said picker-supportingdevices, said pickers being arranged at different heights, of means forrotating said pickers, means for projecting said pickers to cause themto engage the cotton and for retracting the pickers for stripping thecotton therefrom, and means for connecting and disconnecting saidrotating mechanism and certain of said pickers, whereby pickers atdifferent heights may be thrown into or out of operation independentlyof each other, substantially as described.

3. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frameadapted to straddle a row'of plants, of rotary hollow picker-supportingdevices arranged at opposite sides of said frame, axially-rotatable andlengthwisemovable pickers carried by said picker-supporting devices,means for projecting said pickers through the walls of said hollowpickersupporting devices to cause them to engage the cotton and meansfor retracting the pickers therethrough for stripping the cottontherefrom, and devices for collecting the cotton stripped from saidpickers, substantially as described.

4. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, ofupper and lower plates carried thereby, a cylinder mounted between saidplates and adapted to rotate upon said lower plate, a gear secured tosaid cylinder, means for rotating said gear by the forward motion of themachine, rotary pickers carried by said cylinder, means for rotatingsaid pickersfand means for projecting and retracting said pickersthrough the wall of the cylinder, substantially as described.

5. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder mounted thereupon, upper and lower plates arranged atthe ends of said cylinder, said plates having cam-grooves, bar sarranged within said cylinder and having their ends fitted into saidgrooyes, axially-rotatable and lengthwise-movable pickers carried bysaid bars and adapted to be projected through said cylinder, and meansfor rotating said cylinder, substantially as described.

6. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with supporting deyices, of arotary cylinder mounted thereupon, pickers carried by said cylinder,means for projecting and retracting said pickers through the wall ofsaid cylinder, and mechanism for rotating said pickers when projected,and means for throwing said mechanism out of operation when the pickersare retracted, substantially as described.

7. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder carried thereby, pickers carried by said cylinder andadapted to be moved longitudinally through the walls of the picker andretracted therethrough, gears carried by said pickers, a central shaftmounted in said cylinder, rackplates mounted upon said shaft, the teethof said rack-plates being adapted to mesh with said bevel-gears, andmeans for rotating said rack-plates, substantially as described.

8. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder mounted thereupon, pickers carried by said cylinder andadapted to be moved longitudinally through the walls of the picker andretracted therethrough, gears carried by said pickers, a shaft centrallymounted in said cylinder, sleeves mounted upon said shaft, rack-platesmounted upon said sleeves and adapted to mesh with said gears, and meansfor rotating said shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder carried thereby, pickers carried by said cylinder andadapted to be moved longitudinally through the walls of the picker andretracted therethrough, gears carried by said pickers, a central shaftmounted in said cylinder, rackplates mounted upon said shaft, the teethof said rack-plates being adapted to mesh with said bevel-gears, meansfor rotating said rackplates, said gears being thrown out of mesh withsaid racks by the retraction of the pickers, substantially as described.

10. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with a supporting-frame, of arotary cylinder mounted thereupon, upper and lower plates arranged atthe ends of said cylinder, said plates having cam grooves, bars arrangedwithin said cylinder and having their ends fitted into said grooves,pickers j ournaled in said bars, and adapted to be projected throughsaid cylinder, gears 7 8 carried by said pickers, rack-plates adapted toengage said gears, means for rotating said rack plates, and springs 5%upon said pickers, substantially as described.

CHARLES II. PICKERING.

"itnesses:

M. P. GEISELMAN, OLLEE BORTIN.

